The Hound of the Baskervilles
Sherlock Holmes and The Hound of the Baskervilles, or just The Hound of the Baskervilles, is a novel written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in 1902. It details the story of Sherlock Holmes investigating a mystery surrounding a noble family out on the Dartmoor moors in Devonshire, England. It is widely regarded as one of the best detective novels of all time. Plot The story takes place in October 1889 in a fictional village called Grimpen, in the moors of Dartmoor National Park in Devonshire. It opens up in London on the stormy night of October 1, 1889, in the home of Sherlock Holmes and his assistant Dr. John Watson. They are visited by Dr. Mortimer and Sir Henry Baskerville. Holmes addresses the issue at hand: Sir Henry intends to claim his inhertance at Baskerville Hall, a mysterious mansion out on the Devonshire moors which is believed by many to be haunted and have an evil and criminally sinister past. Back in 1647, Sir Hugo Baskerville cursed the entire family that anybody who treaded onto the moor at night alone would be brutally killed by a powerful supernatural hound. Hugo Baskerville was the first to die, after running for his life. Sir Henry Baskerville dismisses this, believing it to be legend. Mortimer tells Holmes that Sir Henry's uncle Charles was the latest to die, on May 4, and that he took the curse very seriously, although Sir Henry dismisses his death as heart failure. Holmes interviews Mortimer, who had examined the body, of the events. Mortimer had noticed that near the body were footprints belonging to that of a gigantic hound. When Mortimer continues to believe that Sir Henry is in danger, Holmes sends Watson with Mortimer and Sir Henry to Baskerville Hall. Holmes, going undercover, follows the group to Baskerville Hall, and is so careful at hiding that everyone thinks that Holmes is still in London. On October 13, Holmes sees a portrait of Sir Hugo Baskerville and knows that he's seen that face before. Holmes secretly follows Watson as he enters Merripit House, the home of the nearby neighbor: Jack Stapleton. Stapleton is a clever man, telling Watson that if Holmes wasn't investigating, Watson wouldn't be at his house. Sir Henry and Jack's sister Beryl arrive at the house. Sir Henry tells Jack that he plans to build a school for the local children using some of his uncle's money. They then hear a loud howling noise, with Stapleton saying that the moor makes strange sounds. Holmes, spying on them through the window, realizes that Stapleton is very familiar and has trouble recognizing his face. Later that day, Holmes stares at the portrait of Sir Hugo Baskerville, and imagines that it is that of Jack Stapleton. Now realizing why the face is familiar, he runs off to Merripit House, and spies on Jack Stapleton, who rips off his beard, revealing it to be a disguise. With the truth out, Holmes runs off to find Watson. On the night of October 19, Holmes leads Watson to the dining hall to see the portrait of Sir Hugo Baskerville. Holmes explains that Stapleton is a direct descendant of Sir Hugo Baskerville, and wants the Baskerville fortune all for himself, and is willing to kill anyone who is in his way. Realizing that Sir Henry is dining with the Stapletons at Merripit House, and that Stapleton has set Sir Henry up in a trap, they run to Merripit House to save Sir Henry. At Merripit House, Beryl is revealed to be bound and gagged to a chair, and Stapleton lies to a suspicious Sir Henry that it is rodents. Upon hearing a howl in the distance, Sir Henry makes leave for Baskerville Hall. As Sir Henry leaves, Stapleton sneaks off. Holmes and Watson arrive at the house, and Holmes tells Watson that Stapleton knew that Sir Charles had a weak heart, and was obsessed with the legend of the hound; this would be his downfall, as Stapleton used it to his advantage to kill Sir Charles by making him suffer a fatal heart attack, and that Sir Henry is next to die. Holmes and Watson hear a howl, and wander out into the foggy moor. They hear movement and hide to see who it is; the movement is revealed to be Sir Henry's movement. Sir Henry turns around in fright upon hearing the howl again, and finds Stapleton standing behind him, with the hound at his heels. While Sir Henry backs up against a tree, Watson draws a gun and chases after Stapleton. Holmes runs towards him while gunshots are fired. Watson appears with phosphorus coating his hand. Holmes deduces that Stapleton painted the hound with phosphorus to scare Sir Henry and starved it so much to the point where it would viciously kill practically anything, and he unleashed the hound. Holmes and Watson pursue Stapleton with the intent of capturing him so that he cannot harm anyone else. At the end of the story, Holmes and Watson have returned to London, with Sir Henry safe, and Stapleton punished for his crimes, presumably arrested and sent to jail. Characters * Sherlock Holmes * Dr. John Watson * Sir Henry Baskerville * Jack Stapleton * Dr. James Mortimer * Beryl Stapleton * Sir Hugo Baskerville Adaptation see The Slobbery Hound Trivia * This version slightly alters the ending in the original novel: in this version, judging by the lines said, Stapleton is most likely arrested and taken to jail. ** In the original novel, Stapleton actually dies while attempting to cross the Grimpen Mire, a deadly peat bog out in the moors with mud capable of dragging a person down to the bottom instantly; Stapleton is one such victim, having failed to step onto the right places because he was in a hurry. ** In addition, the Grimpen Mire is not included nor mentioned at all in this version. Category:Books Category:Season 1 books Category:Books written by Arthur Conan Doyle